sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts remain with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to minimize stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to stick to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grade school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first child in 2016 and is believed to have been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not best."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.